The 2028 Los Angeles Olympics torch relay is set to kick off in Atlanta, where the last U.S. Summer Games took place in 1996, and traverse through all 50 states, as per organizers’ announcement on Tuesday. The Olympic flame will be ignited in Olympia, Greece, the birthplace of the Olympic Games, before commencing its voyage across the United States in the spring of 2028. The detailed route for the torch relay will be unveiled in 2027.
LA28 organizers have disclosed that the relay will be among the grandest in Olympic history, encompassing renowned landmarks and attractions, making stops at significant cultural and sporting events, and featuring festival celebrations in particular cities nationwide. Casey Wasserman, the chair and president of LA28, expressed, “Every Olympic Games starts with a single flame, and transporting that flame to Los Angeles is a privilege we will share with every part of the country, as Americans from all 50 states carry the flame towards our Opening Ceremony.”
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens expressed pride in welcoming back the Olympic flame after 32 years since hosting the centennial Summer Games. Dickens stated, “Atlanta has evolved. We are larger. We are more globally connected. Therefore, as the flame returns to the U.S., Atlanta is prepared to receive it, celebrate the essence of the Games as a community, and pass it forward towards Los Angeles, marking the next chapter of America’s Olympic narrative.”
Following the conclusion of the Olympics in August 2028, the Paralympic torch relay will commence, with the flame originating in Stoke Mandeville, England, the birthplace of the Paralympic movement. The starting location for the U.S. leg of the relay will be announced later. Both torch relays will be supported by Coca-Cola, JPMorganChase, Allstate, and Xfinity.